WASHINGTON – 21Wilberforce announced that former Congressman Frank Wolf will leave 21Wilberforce on September 30th after serving four years as the Distinguished Senior Fellow.

“Congressman Wolf has been instrumental in shaping 21Wilberforce to the force for change that it is today,” said Randel Everett, Founder and President. “His leadership has been extraordinary. 21Wilberforce is grounded in the conviction that freedom of belief is a basic human right, and Frank has carried the torch.”

Throughout his distinguished career, Wolf developed partners and champions on both sides of the aisle, within Congress, multiple Administrations, and with thousands of religious freedom advocates in the US and around the world. Noting his contribution, the 114th Congress named the amended International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA) bill the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act. Congressman Wolf has helped establish the reputation of 21Wilberforce as a trusted source of information for policymakers in Washington, DC and international religious freedom advocates. 21Wilberforce is well positioned for continued success in advocating for international religious freedom thanks in large part to Wolf’s leadership.

“We celebrate Congressman Wolf’s numerous accomplishments over the past four years,” said Sharon Payt, 21Wilberforce’s Executive Director. “We are particularly grateful for his determined advocacy, which, along with other IRF leaders, helped bring about a genocide declaration on behalf of Christians, Yazidis, Shia and other religious minorities in Iraq in 2016. He has been a movement leader for over 30 years and I consider it a privilege to have worked alongside him.”

During the four years Congressman Wolf served with 21Wilberforce, he led fact-finding trips to Iraq and Nigeria, testified at several Congressional hearings on IRF issues in Iraq, China, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, wrote numerous op-eds and spoke at more than 150 events around the U.S. And similar to the many years he served in Congress, he also used quiet diplomacy when appropriate.

“It has been an honor to serve an organization that is committed to advocating for freedom of belief and takes bold positions when necessary. 21Wilberforce has a talented and dedicated staff who work to advance the vital mission of promoting international religious freedom each and every day,” said Congressman Wolf.